[CALL TO ORDER ]
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I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. COULD I PLEASE
[APPROVAL OF AGENDA ]
HAVE A MOTION FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA WITH ONE MINOR CHANGE? NUMBER FOUR IS GOING FIRST, AND THEN IT'LL BE TWO AND THREE AFTER THAT. I'LL MAKE THE MOTION. I'LL SECOND HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THAT MOTION? SEEING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. MOTION[APPROVAL OF MINUTES ]
PASSES. I NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING. DO I HAVE A MOTION? I'LL MAKE THE MOTION. I'LL SECOND HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? HAS ANYONE TURNED ON ANY CARDS? CHAIR, I HAVE NO PUBLIC COMMENT. ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE SEEING NONE. MOVING RIGHT ALONG. COMMENTS BY BOARD MEMBERS. DON'T BE SHY,
[4. PRESENTATION OF THE APPLICATIONS FOR THE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM FOR FY 2026 (RC): RESOLUTION No. 03-2026 CRA; A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, AUTHORIZING AWARD TO APPLICANTS FROM THE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT GRANT PROGRAM FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026]
MR. CHAIR, I HAVE NONE. ALRIGHT. MOVING RIGHT ALONG. ACTION ITEMS. AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO DO ITEM NUMBER FOUR FIRST. LEE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO READ THIS OR WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO? I'M HAPPY TO READ IT FOR YOU. ALRIGHT. RESOLUTION NUMBER 03-2026CRA. A RESOLUTION OF THE COMMUNITY OF THE BOARD OF COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA.AUTHORIZING AWARD TO APPLICANTS FROM THE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT GRANT PROGRAM FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026. AND STAFF. YES. GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD MEMBERS. JORDAN PINKSTON, CRA PROGRAM MANAGER. FOR THE RECORD. THE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCIES BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT GRANT PROGRAM IS AN INCENTIVE PROGRAM DESIGNED TO ENCOURAGE VISIBLE EXTERIOR IMPROVEMENTS TO EXISTING COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES AND ENCOURAGE PRIVATE INVESTMENT IN THE CRA.
THE PROGRAM PROVIDES A REIMBURSEMENT GRANT OF UP TO $10,000 OF PUBLIC FUNDS PER PROPERTY TO MATCH THE PRIVATE FUNDS TO PAY FOR THE DESIGN AND COMPLETION OF PROPERTY IMPROVEMENT FUNDS, AND THEY ARE APPROPRIATED ANNUALLY BY THE CRA. THE PROJECTS ARE EVALUATED BASED ON THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA. OVERALL VISUAL IMPACT OF THE PROPERTY ON THE PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS. THE PROPOSED PROJECT IS PART OF A LARGER EXTERIOR OR INTERIOR IMPROVEMENT, HOW THE PROJECT RELATES TO THE URBAN STREET AND IMPROVES PEDESTRIAN WALKABILITY.
THE LOCATION WITHIN A HIGH TRAFFIC OR HIGH VISIBILITY AREA. PRIVATE INVESTMENT TO GRANT REQUEST REQUESTS, RATIOS AND IMPROVEMENTS TO HELP PRESERVE THE HISTORIC BUILDINGS. SINCE WE HAVE NEW BOARD MEMBERS, I'LL JUST GIVE A BRIEF HISTORY ON THE PROGRAM. THE PROPERTY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM GRANT WAS LAUNCHED IN 2009 TO ENCOURAGE VISIBLE EXTERIOR IMPROVEMENTS TO COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES IN THE CRA. THE GRANT PROGRAM PROVIDED A MATCHING GRANT OF UP TO $4,000 PER PROPERTY, AND THE GRANT WAS ELIGIBLE FOR IMPROVEMENTS SUCH AS WINDOWS, DOORS, SIGNAGE, LANDSCAPING, ROOFING, ARCHITECTURE, STREETSCAPES, PARKING LOTS, DECORATIVE SHUTTERS AND OTHER IMPROVEMENTS. THE PROGRAM WAS REVISED IN 2016 2017 AND RENAMED THE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT REIMBURSEMENT GRANT PROGRAM, ALSO KNOWN AS BURP, OFFERING PROPERTY OWNERS MATCHING GRANTS FOR UP TO $10,000. IN 2018, THE PROGRAM WAS AMENDED TO FOCUS ON ELIGIBLE EXTERIOR IMPROVEMENTS, REPLACING NON-CONFORMING, CONFORMING PULL SIGNS WITH CONFORMING FREESTANDING OR MONUMENT SIGNAGE, AND THAT AIMED TO HELP PROPERTY OWNERS COMPLY WITH THE CITY'S LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE. AND THEN, UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF THE BOARD, THE PROGRAM WAS SUBSTANTIALLY REVISED IN 2021 TO INCENTIVIZE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OWNERS TO ENHANCE LANDSCAPING ON THE PRIVATE PREMISES AND ACHIEVE COMPLIANCE WITH THE CITY'S LAND LANDSCAPE CODE. AND THEN THIS THIS INITIATIVE ADDRESSES THE PROPERTIES WITHIN THE CRA THAT WERE DEVELOPED PRIOR TO THE ENACTMENT OF THE CODE, AND WE ALSO CREATED THE LANDSCAPE IMPROVEMENT GRANT PROGRAM IN TANDEM WITH THAT, THE THE BURP
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HAS SUPPORTED COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES IN THE CRA AND ALONG WITH OTHER DEPARTMENT INITIATIVES, HAS HELPED ACHIEVE OUR MISSION OF SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC GROWTH AND PRESERVING THE CITY'S CHARACTER. THE PROGRAM HAS OFFERED FINANCIAL RELIEF FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES FOR IMPROVEMENTS. TO DATE, THE PROGRAM HAS AWARDED 61 BUSINESSES THE CRA INVESTMENT OF $444,000 LEVERAGED APPROXIMATELY 2 MILLION IN PRIVATE INVESTMENT, GENERATING A TOTAL VALUE OF 2.44 MILLION. THE ASSESSED PROPERTY VALUE HAS INCREASED BY 11 MILLION, GENERATING THE ADDITIONAL TIF FUNDING FOR THE CRA. THE PROGRAM AIMS TO REDUCE FLIGHT AND ENHANCE THE BUILDING FACADES, POSITIVELY AFFECTING PROPERTY VALUES AND THE AREA'S APPEAL. AS ALWAYS, THE CRA DID PUBLIC OUTREACH TO ENCOURAGE THESE BUSINESSES TO APPLY FOR THE PROGRAM. THE CRA HAS RECEIVED SIX APPLICATIONS TO BE CONSIDERED FOR FUNDING OF THOSE APPLICATIONS. ONE WAS INELIGIBLE AND THE IMPROVEMENTS PROPOSED INCLUDE PARKING LOT RESURFACING, IMPACT WINDOWS PAINTING, AND FACADE IMPROVEMENTS. AT THIS TIME, IT'S AT THE BOARD'S DISCRETION. IF YOU'D LIKE ME TO PRESENT ALL OF THEM AT ONCE AND THEN MAKE SEPARATE MOTIONS AT THE END, OR IF YOU'D LIKE TO DO ONE AT A TIME. CHAIR, MY PREFERENCE IS ONE AT A TIME. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE REST OF THE BOARD. OKAY, SO I'LL DO THE FIRST APPLICATION. OUR FIRST APPLICANT IS AVENUE COMMERCE CENTER, LOCATED AT 429 NORTHEAST BAKER ROAD. THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING GRANT ASSISTANCE FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO ENHANCE THE CURB APPEAL AND FUNCTIONALITY OF THE PROPERTY BY PAINTING THE EXTERIOR BUILDINGS AND ADDING WAYFINDING SIGNS. THE TOTAL ESTIMATED IMPROVEMENT COST WILL BE 31,000.IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS APPLICANT IS A RETURNING AND PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED FUNDING IN 2023 FOR PAVERS, BENCHES AND BIKE RACKS, AND IN 2025 TO REPLACE AWNINGS AT THE SPECIFIED BUILDINGS. THE PROPERTY IS NOT FINISHED THE 2025 UPGRADES YET, BUT IS INTENDING TO USE THE SAME SCAFFOLDING FOR BOTH THE AWNING REPLACEMENTS AND THE UPCOMING PAINTING IMPROVEMENTS. THE EXTERIOR IS CURRENTLY CRACKED AND REQUIRES PRESSURE CLEANING, CAULKING, AND PAINTING. ADDITIONALLY, THE BUILDINGS DO NOT HAVE CLEAR ADDRESSES LISTED, SO WAYFINDING SIGNS AND BUILDING NUMBERS WILL BE INSTALLED TO HELP PREVENT CONFUSION FOR VISITORS. ELIGIBLE AND IMPROVEMENTS PROPOSED BY THE APPLICANT WILL HAVE VISUAL, URBAN, STREET AND ECONOMIC IMPACT. THE TOTAL ESTIMATED IMPROVEMENT COST FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR WILL BE ABOUT 31,000, WITH A GRANT MATCH OF 10,000. OVERALL, THE APPLICANT WILL INVEST $61,397, WITH A CRA INVESTMENT OF 23,160 FOR THIS PROGRAM. STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL. ANY MOTIONS? ANY MOTIONS ON THIS? I CAN MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THIS AVONLEA COMMERCE CENTER FOR THE GRANT. THE CHAIR CAN'T MAKE A MOTION, SO I NEED ANYBODY OF THE. AND ANY ANY MOTIONS. I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE. I'LL. SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE AND A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? NO. WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO HAVE TO DO A ROLL CALL. BUT IF WE COULD ASK FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AND THEN WE'LL DO THE ROLL CALL. ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS? ALL RIGHT. I HAVE A QUESTION. OKAY. DISCUSSION A QUESTION. YOU MENTIONED THE ONE FUNDING THAT THEY RECEIVED IN 2025. WHEN DO THEY RECEIVE FUNDING BEFORE OR AFTER THEY COMPLETE THE PROJECT? IT'S UPON COMPLETION. IT'S A REIMBURSEMENT. SO THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE A RECEIPT AND AFTER PHOTOS. AND WE TYPICALLY VISIT THE SITE TO MAKE SURE IT'S COMPLETED. AND THEN WE PROVIDE THE CHECK. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBER. YES. YES. BOARD MEMBER. LAUGHLIN. YES. CHAIR.
MCCRYSTAL. YES. VICE CHAIR. MOSER. YES. BOARD MEMBER. DE BERARD. YES. BOARD MEMBER.
JAMES. YES. AND BOARD MEMBER. WHALEN. YES. MOTION PASSES SEVEN ZERO. THANK YOU. THE NEXT APPLICATION IS THE GARY LAW BUILDING, LOCATED ON 27 SOUTHEAST OCEAN BOULEVARD. THIS APPLICANT IS REQUESTING GRANT ASSISTANCE FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO ENHANCE CURB APPEAL AND FUNCTIONALITY WITH PAVING AND RESTRIPING THE PARKING LOT. THE TOTAL INVESTMENT IMPROVEMENT COST WILL BE $24,500. THE CURRENT PARKING LOT IS CRACKING, UNBALANCED AND NEEDS TO BE RESTRIPED. THE EXISTING CONDITIONS ARE A TRIPPING HAZARD AND CAUSE STANDING WATER TO PUDDLE DURING STORMS. PLANNED ENHANCEMENTS ENCOMPASS MILLING AND TACKING FOR THE RESTORATION OF DAMAGED SECTIONS, INSTALLING OF NEW ASPHALT, RESTRIPING OF THE PARKING SPACES AND REPLACEMENT OF THE BUMPERS. IMPROVEMENTS PROPOSED BY THE APPLICANT WILL HAVE A VISUAL, URBAN, STREET, ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY IMPACT. THE PROPERTY FRONTS OCEAN BOULEVARD
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AND WILL SERVE AS A CATALYST FOR REDEVELOPMENT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THE TOTAL ESTIMATED IMPROVEMENT COST WILL BE ABOUT $24,500, WITH A GRANT MATCH OF 10,000. STAFF DOES RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THIS. ASK A QUESTION BEFORE WE MAKE A MOTION. ANY QUESTIONS? I DO HAVE A QUESTION ON THIS ONE. I THOUGHT MAYBE A YEAR OR TWO AGO THE CRB HAD REQUESTED TO NOT DO ANY MORE PARKING LOT RESURFACING PROJECTS. AND INSTEAD, LIKE WE'RE TRYING TO PROMOTE LIKE MORE PAVERS OR PERVIOUS SURFACES. SO THE WE, WE INCLUDE THAT IN OUR CURRENT APPLICATION. SO I CAN REVISIT THAT AND LOOK BACK AT THOSE BOARD MEETING MINUTES. BUT THAT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT WE NIXED ON THE APPLICATION. OKAY. I THINK WE DID TRY TO INCORPORATE THAT IN THE COMMERCIAL LANDSCAPE PROGRAM BECAUSE THAT WAS CREATED DURING THAT TIME.SO WE CAN REVISIT THAT AND BRING IT BACK IF YOU'D LIKE. OKAY. YEAH. AND OTHER PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE DIFFERENT OPINIONS. SURE. THAT WAS IT FOR ME. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? SORRY, DIRECTOR.
YOU CAN ALSO APPROVE THESE PROJECTS WITH THE CONDITIONS. SO IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT FOR THIS SPECIFIC PROJECT, YOU CAN APPROVE WITH CONDITIONS THAT YOU WANT PERVIOUS PAVEMENT. OKAY. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I HAVE ONE. IN MY PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE WITH THESE TYPE OF THINGS. EVERYTHING I'VE EVER APPROVED IS SOMETHING THAT. IS A BENEFIT TO THE PUBLIC. IN OTHER WORDS, YOU PAINT THE BUILDING AND YOU DRIVE BY. IT LOOKS BETTER. YOU LANDSCAPE IT. THE WHOLE PLACE LOOKS BETTER. THIS ONE SEEMS UNIQUE TO ME AND DIFFERENT IN THE SENSE THAT ALL WE'RE DOING IS REPAVING THE PARKING LOT. I DON'T REALLY SEE MUCH PUBLIC BENEFIT TO IT, AND I'M WONDERING IF THIS IS SETTING A PRECEDENT FOR, YOU KNOW, NOT NECESSARILY SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO INCREASE THE VALUE OF OUR TOWN OVERALL AS FAR AS VISUAL SIGHTS AS YOU'RE DRIVING BY, I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE, THE, THE GIST OF THE WHOLE PROGRAM.
THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS. MR. CHAIR. IF I REMEMBER IN HER PRESENTATION, SHE SAID THAT IT WOULD IMPROVE WHEN WE HAD FLOODING, WATER WOULD BE STANDING AND A TRIP HAZARD. SO I THINK THAT WOULD, YOU KNOW, THE SAFETY PORTION ISSUE ON IT WOULD BE A BENEFIT. OKAY. ANY MORE COMMENTS? HOW ABOUT FROM THE PUBLIC. ANY COMMENTS? YES, SIR. COME UP TO THE MICROPHONE, PLEASE. THANK YOU. I OWN SEVERAL PROPERTIES AS WELL. AND I THINK PARKING LOT IMPROVEMENTS ARE VISUAL APPEAL AS WELL. LIKE YOU SAID, IT'S REGARDING PAINTING A BUILDING THE FACADE. THAT'S MY OPINION. THANK YOU SIR. I ALSO HAVE THE APPLICANT HERE IF YOU'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM HIM. COME ON UP, BROTHER GARY. SURE. HELLO. MY NAME IS CHUCK. GARY. GARY. LAW OFFICES. BEEN THERE FOR MY WHOLE MOST OF MY CAREER. BEEN PAYING TAXES ON THAT BUILDING FOR A LONG, LONG TIME. THAT PAVEMENT, THAT PARKING LOT HAS NEVER BEEN REPAVED. THAT'S THE WAY IT WAS WHEN I BOUGHT IT. PEOPLE, YOU KNOW WHERE IT IS. IT'S RIGHT NEAR CONFUSION CORNER. PUBLIC WALKS THROUGH THERE ALL DAY LONG. YOU CAN'T KEEP THEM OUT OF THERE. PEOPLE PARK THERE ALL DAY LONG. YOU CAN'T KEEP THEM OUT OF THERE. AND YEAH, IT'S A TRIPPING HAZARD. IT'S DEFINITELY I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN THERE. THEREAFTER, EVEN A LIGHT STORM, IT'S FULL OF WATER. YOU CAN'T GET THAT WATER OUT OF THERE. I NEED TO PAVE THAT PARKING LOT.
PERVIOUS PAVERS WERE NOT ON THE ANYTHING THAT WE DISCUSSED, AND IT WASN'T ANY THING I'VE EVER EVEN LOOKED AT. I THINK THAT'D PROBABLY BE PROHIBITIVE COST WISE. I'D REALLY LIKE TO GET THIS PAVED. I'VE DONE. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE SEEN THE BUILDING OVER THE LAST 4 OR 5 YEARS. I'VE RESURFACED THE ENTIRE BUILDING. I'VE DONE QUITE A LOT OF STUFF ON THAT BUILDING. ON THE OUTSIDE, I'VE PAINTED THE ENTIRE BUILDING. I HAVE OTHER BUILDINGS DOWNTOWN I'VE REDEVELOPED, AND I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE. AND THEY'RE ALL DOWN HERE. I'M TRYING TO MAKE
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THEM LOOK NICE FOR THE CITY. THIS REALLY NEEDS TO BE DONE. THE PICTURES SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. I'M WILLING TO DO IT RIGHT AWAY. I THINK IT'S REALLY IT'S DEFINITELY A DRAINAGE PROBLEM. I'D LIKE YOU TO GO LOOK AT THAT AFTER ANY ANY RAIN. I UNDERSTAND WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO DRAIN OFF OF THE PROPERTY, YOU KNOW, SO IT ALL ACCUMULATES THERE. AND I REALLY LIKE TO FIX THAT. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. GARY. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? THIS IS MORE OF A PROCEDURAL COMMENT. OKAY. GOING TO WHAT MR. MOSLEY SAID. I WAS SORRY THAT IF THERE IS A PUSH TO MOVE AWAY FROM PARKING LOT RESURFACING, I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE VERY CLEAR TO THE APPLICANTS GOING FORWARD. AND MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING FOR THE NEXT BATCH. WE COULD RECRAFT THE LANGUAGE, BUT FOR THIS BATCH I, I AGREE, THIS IS KIND OF PUSH IN THE 11TH HOUR. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU SIR, DO YOU HAVE ANY MOTIONS? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE. NO CONDITION. HAVE A I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE WITH NO CONDITIONS. HAVE A SECOND. SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. WE'RE GOING TO DO ROLL CALL, PLEASE. VICE CHAIR MOSER. YES, CHAIR. MCCRYSTAL, NO. BOARD MEMBER. JAMES. YES. BOARD MEMBER. MONROE. YES. BOARD MEMBER. YES. BOARD MEMBER. LOFFLER. YES. AND BOARD MEMBER.WHALEN. YES. MOTION PASSES SIX ONE. THANK YOU. SIR. THE NEXT APPLICATION IS GEIGER DOWNTOWN LLC, WHICH INCLUDES MULTIPLE BUSINESSES IN OUR HISTORIC DOWNTOWN CENTER, INCLUDING THE RIVERWALK CAFE, SPRITZ, BLACK MARLIN, GYPSY COTTAGE GIRLS DOWNTOWN, THE GAFFORD TOOTSIES, AND RARE EARTH GALLERY. THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING GRANT ASSISTANCE FOR EXTERIOR PAINTING TO ALL THOSE BUSINESSES, AND AN AWNING REPLACEMENT TO SPRITZ. THE TOTAL ESTIMATED IMPROVEMENT COST WILL BE ABOUT 44,000. THESE BUSINESSES TARGETED FOR THE PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS HAVE WORN FACADES, AND THEIR BUILDINGS WOULD BENEFIT FROM A THOROUGH PRESSURE WASH AND SOME FRESH PAINT. ELIGIBLE IMPROVEMENTS PROPOSED BY THE APPLICANT WILL HAVE A VISUAL, URBAN, STREET AND ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY IMPACT. THE PROPERTY IS IN THE NEWLY DEEMED HISTORIC DOWNTOWN DISTRICT, WHICH IS IN A HIGH VISIBILITY AREA, AND THESE IMPROVEMENTS WILL ENHANCE THE PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE AND HARMONIZE WITH THE VIBRANT HISTORIC CONTEXT OF DOWNTOWN. THE PROPERTY IS ALSO IN THE CENTER OF THE CRA DOWNTOWN UNDERGROUNDING AND SEMINOLE STREETSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS, MAKING IT A CATALYST FOR OTHER DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES. THE TOTAL ESTIMATED IMPROVEMENT COST WILL BE WILL BE $44,000, WITH A GRANT MATCH OF $10,000, AND STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL. STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD MEMBERS. SEEING NONE. ANY MOTIONS FOR APPROVAL? I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL AND A SECOND. ROLL CALL. PUBLIC COMMENT. PUBLIC COMMENT. I'M SORRY. ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? ALL RIGHT. MEMBER. WHALEN. YES. NO. WHALEN. WE'RE VOTING YES. BOARD MEMBER. LAUGHLIN. YES. BOARD MEMBER. MONROE. YES. CHAIRMAN. CRISTAL.
YES. BOARD MEMBER. JAMES. YES. BOARD MEMBER. DE BERARD. YES. AND VICE CHAIR MOSER. YES.
MOTION PASSES. SEVEN TO. THANK YOU. AND THEN THE NEXT APPLICANT IS KAISER DERMATOLOGY, LOCATED AT 301 SOUTHWEST OSCEOLA STREET. THIS APPLICANT IS SEEKING GRANT. GRANT ASSISTANCE TO BOOST CURB APPEAL THROUGH UPGRADED LANDSCAPING AND IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PARKING LOT. THE ESTIMATED TOTAL IMPROVEMENT COST WILL BE ABOUT $5,660. THE PARKING LOT UPGRADES WILL COVER PAVER REPAIRS, STRIPING FOR ALL PARKING STALLS, NEW SIGNS AND BUMPERS. EXISTING LANDSCAPE FEATURES WILL BE RESTORED AND THE BANYAN TREE OVER OSCEOLA STREET WILL BE TRIMMED, AND A NEW TRELLIS WILL BE INSTALLED FOR THE WALKWAY LEADING TO THE PROPERTY. PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS PROVIDE VISUAL, ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY BENEFITS. THE PROJECT INCREASES SAFETY, ACCESSIBILITY AND VISUAL APPEAL DOWNTOWN BY IMPROVING ADA COMPLIANCE, REMOVING HAZARDS AND UPGRADING STREETSCAPE FEATURES, AND SUPPORTING CRA REVITALIZATION AND ECONOMIC GROWTH. THE TOTAL ESTIMATED IMPROVEMENT COSTS WILL BE ABOUT $5,660, WITH A GRANT MATCH OF $2,830, AND THEN STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THIS PROJECT. WE HAVE A STAFF RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL. COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD. I HAVE ONE COMMENT. THANK YOU. AS A
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LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT, THIS IS MY FAVORITE TREE IN MARTIN COUNTY, SO PLEASE TRIM CAREFULLY. THANK YOU. BONNIE. ANY MORE COMMENTS? HOW ABOUT FROM THE PUBLIC? ANY COMMENTS? FROM THE. I AM MRS. KAISER. I AM REPRESENTING KAISER DERMATOLOGY. TO ASSURE YOU, MADAM CHAIR, THAT WE HAVE TAKEN CARE OF THIS TREE FOR 28 YEARS, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO. BUT WE CAN USE THE ASSISTANCE BECAUSE THIS TREE GETS BIGGER AND BIGGER EVERY YEAR. YEAH. AND YOU HAVE TO CUT IT WITH ON A WEEKEND. AND IT NEEDS TO HAVE SAFETY MEASURES BECAUSE ONE LIMB WEIGHS ABOUT 200 TO 300 POUNDS. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD MORNING SIR.ANY MOTIONS FOR APPROVAL? I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE. SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, COULD YOU CLARIFY WHO. SECOND, THAT I DIDN'T HEAR IT, I DID, YOU DID. THANK YOU. YES. CHAIRMAN.
CRYSTAL. YES. BOARD MEMBER. YES. BOARD MEMBER. JAMES. YES. BOARD MEMBER. WHALEN. YES. BOARD MEMBER. MUNRO. YES. VICE CHAIR. MOSER. YES. AND BOARD MEMBER. LAUGHLIN. YES. MOTION PASSES SEVEN ZERO. THANK YOU. AND THEN OUR LAST APPLICANT IS THE OWL HOUSE PROPERTIES, WHICH INCLUDES THE OWL HOUSE, PART OF THE OLD COLORADO IN AND NEPALI ORTHODONTICS. THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING GRANT ASSISTANCE FOR INSTALLING IMPACT WINDOWS TO THE HISTORIC OWL HOUSE AND MAKING PARKING LOT IMPROVEMENTS TO NEPALI ORTHODONTICS. THE TOTAL ESTIMATED IMPROVEMENT COST WILL BE ABOUT 5000 $51,925. THE OWL HOUSE IS A HISTORIC DOWNTOWN BUILDING AND WILL HAVE 21 WINDOWS AND TWO DOORS REPLACED WITH A WITH HURRICANE IMPACT VERSIONS. TO ENHANCE ITS INTEGRITY, IMPACT GLASS WILL PROVIDE CONTINUOUS PROTECTION AND SEVERE STORMS WHILE PROVIDING STRUCTURE PRESERVATION. THE CURRENT PARKING LOT AT NEPALI ORTHODONTICS IS CRACKING AND IS UNBALANCED AND NEEDS TO BE RESTRIPED. PLANNED ENHANCEMENTS ENCOMPASS MILLING AND TACKING FOR THE RESTORATION OF THE DAMAGED SECTIONS. INSTALLATION OF NEW ASPHALT, RESTRIPING OF PARKING SPACES AND THE REPLACEMENT OF BUMPERS. THE APPLICANTS PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS WILL AFFECT THE AREA'S APPEARANCE, URBAN ENVIRONMENT, ECONOMIC, ECONOMY AND COMMUNITY. THE PROPERTY IS SITUATED RIGHT IN THE HISTORIC DOWNTOWN DISTRICT ALONG COLORADO AVENUE, WHICH IS PART OF THE CRA'S ONGOING UNDERGROUNDING AND STREETSCAPE PROJECT, AND THESE CHANGES ARE EXPECTED TO SPARK FURTHER REDEVELOPMENT IN THE AREA. THE TOTAL INVESTMENT IMPROVEMENT COST WILL BE ABOUT $51,925, WITH A GRANT MATCH OF 10,000. STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL. HAVE A STAFF RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? YES, SIR. JUST HAVE AN OBSERVATION. I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT IMPACT GLASS WINDOWS IN THAT BUILDING IS GOING TO IMPROVE DOWNTOWN. I DON'T I DON'T FEEL LIKE IT THE MICROPHONE, I DON'T FEEL THAT IT DOES. I CAN SPEAK TO THAT BECAUSE I HAVE THE EXACT SAME THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, DOES THIS MATCH THE PURPOSE OF THE GRANT MONEY? AND I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THE PURPOSE FROM THE ACTUAL RESOLUTION IS TO SUPPORT SMALL LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS AND EXTERIOR IMPROVEMENTS. SO IT'S NOT JUST A BEAUTIFICATION, BUT IT IS A STRUCTURAL IMPROVEMENT IN AS WELL. OKAY. GOOD TO KNOW. I, I HAVE A QUESTION. DO WE KNOW AND I SHOULD HAVE ASKED THIS BEFORE I, BUT THIS IS ONE APPLICANT THAT I DIDN'T KNOW THEIR TAX REVENUE THAT ONE OF THE FLAWS I SEE WITH THE CRA IS POTENTIALLY CAUSING CONFLICTS OF INTEREST. BUT WHENEVER A BUSINESS HAS A TAX REVENUE OR IS IN EXCESS OF WHATEVER THEY'RE ASKING FOR, I TYPICALLY DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM. DO WE HAVE A ROUND BALLPARK FIGURE OF WHAT THEIR TAX REVENUE IS? IT WOULD IT BE MATCHING OR GREATER THAN THAT POTENTIAL GRANT THAT THEY WOULD BE RECEIVING? I DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER RIGHT NOW. I DO KNOW THAT THE PROPERTY OWNER IS IN THE ROOM IF HE WANTS TO POSSIBLY SPEAK, AND THAT'S THE NUMBER HE MIGHT BE AWARE OF, BUT I DON'T I WOULD HAVE TO DO SOME SOME RESEARCH BEFORE I CAN ANSWER THAT. ALL RIGHT. I'LL LEAVE IT UP TO THAT OWNER IF HE WANTS TO ADDRESS IT. BUT YEAH, I'M ALL FOR KICKING BACK SOME OF THE PROPERTY TAXES OR WHATEVER BACK TO THE OWNERS IF THEY WANT TO IMPROVE PROJECTS, ESPECIALLY OF THIS NATURE. SO. I JUST WANT TO ADD THAT THIS IS A HISTORIC PROPERTY. SO THE REASON WE DO WANT TO FUND SOMETHING LIKE THIS, BECAUSE WE WANT TO
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PRESERVE OUR HISTORIC PROPERTIES IN, IN STUART. AND IT'S ALSO PART OF OUR HISTORIC DISTRICT, THE PROPOSED HISTORIC DISTRICT. WE'RE GOING TO GET THE NATIONAL REGISTER DESIGNATION. SO IT'S IT'S IT'S THE MONEY IS WELL INVESTED BECAUSE OF PRESERVATION. THANK YOU. THAT'S A GOOD POINT. ANY MORE COMMENTS, QUESTIONS ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC SEEING NONE. CAN I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL ON THIS. OUR HOUSE PROPERTIES. I'LL MAKE THE MOTION. HAVE A MOTION A SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. BOARD MEMBER DEBORAH. YES. MCCHRYSTAL. YES. BOARD MEMBER. WELLEN. YES. BOARD MEMBER. MUNRO. YES. BOARD MEMBER. LAUGHLIN. YES. BOARD MEMBER. JAMES. YES. AND VICE CHAIR MOSER. YES. MOTION PASSES, SEVEN ZERO. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. MOVING ON TO ITEM. ACTION ITEM NUMBER TWO.[2. MINOR URBAN CODE CONDITIONAL USE - MURAL ON FLAGLER PARK RESTROOMS LOCATED AT 221 SW FLAGLER AVENUE (QUASI-JUDICIAL)(RC): RESOLUTION No. 02-2026 CRB; A RESOLUTION OF THE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT BOARD OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, GRANTING A MINOR CONDITIONAL USE APPROVAL FOR PUBLIC ARTWORK (MURAL) NAMED “HERITAGE VITALIS” ON A PROPERTY LOCATED AT 221 SW FLAGLER AVENUE, AS DESCRIBED WITHIN THE ATTACHED LEGAL DESCRIPTION; GRANTING APPROVAL TO PAINT A MURAL ON THE EXTERIOR SOUTHERN, WESTERN AND EASTERN WALL OF A BUILDING; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE; PROVIDING FOR CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. ]
MINOR URBAN CODE. CONDITIONAL USE. LEE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO READ THIS OR WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO. SORRY. RESOLUTION NUMBER 02-2026CRBA. RESOLUTION OF THE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT BOARD OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, GRANTING A MINOR CONDITIONAL USE APPROVAL FOR PUBLIC ARTWORK.MURAL NAMED HERITAGE VITALITY ON A PROPERTY LOCATED AT 221 SOUTH WEST FLAGLER AVENUE, AS DESCRIBED WITHIN THE ATTACHED LEGAL DESCRIPTION. GRANTING APPROVAL TO PAINT A MURAL ON THE EXTERIOR SOUTHERN, WESTERN AND EASTERN WALL OF A BUILDING PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE, PROVIDING FOR CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. AND I WANT TO REMIND YOU, CHAIRMAN CRYSTAL, THAT THIS IS QUASI JUDICIAL. SO YOU NEED TO FOLLOW OUR OUTLINE. IN ADDITION, I WANTED TO REMIND YOU ALL BECAUSE THIS CAME UP AT THE LAST MEETING AND YOU CONTINUED IT TO THIS MEETING, BUT YOU GUYS ARE THE FINAL DECISION AS OPPOSED TO LIKE THE LAST AGENDA ITEM. IT WAS A RECOMMENDATION TO THE TO THE CRA. THIS ONE IS YOU ARE YOU GUYS ARE MAKING THE FINAL VOTE. THANK YOU SIR. ANY BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ANY EX PARTE COMMUNICATION TO DISCLOSE? YES.
I SPOKE WITH CANDACE CALLAHAN YESTERDAY WITH STUART MAIN STREET REGARDING THE EXHIBITS FOR THE PRESENTATION TODAY. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER. I ALSO SPOKE WITH CANDACE CALLAHAN IN EARLY MAY GENERALLY ABOUT THE THE ARTWORK. I HAVE NONE. EVERYONE ELSE? NO. OKAY. ALL THOSE GIVING TESTIMONY, PLEASE STAND. RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND AND BE SWORN IN BY OUR ATTORNEY, LEE BAGGETT. DO YOU AFFIRM THAT THE TESTIMONY THAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO PROVIDE WILL BE THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH, SO HELP YOU GOD? YOU MAY BE SEATED. STAFF, WE HAVE A REPORT. YES, CHAIR. GOOD AFTERNOON. JORDAN PINKSTON, SIERRA SIERRA PROGRAM MANAGER FOR THE RECORD. SO ON MAY 5TH, 2026, THE CRB PRESENTED WAS PRESENTED WITH AN APPLICATION REQUESTING APPROVAL OF A PUBLIC ARTWORK MURAL WHICH REQUIRES A MINOR URBAN CODE CONDITIONAL USE. THE PROPOSAL CONSISTED OF A THREE SIDED MURAL TO BE INSTALLED ON THE EXTERIOR, SOUTHERN, WESTERN AND EASTERN WALLS OF THE FLAGLER PARK PUBLIC RESTROOM BUILDING, LOCATED AT 221 SOUTHWEST FLAGLER AVENUE. THE BOARD MOTIONED TO BRING BACK RESOLUTION NUMBER 02-2026 CRB TO SEE THE REQUESTED ARTWORK REVISIONS AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THE STUART MAIN STREET REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL PROCESS. AS YOU KNOW, THE ART MUST COMPLY WITH THE MINOR CONDITIONAL USE APPLICATION REVIEW PROCESS, PUBLIC ART CRITERIA AND PUBLIC NOTICE REQUIREMENTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 3.0, 1.08 AND SECTION 11.02.00 OF THE CITY'S LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE. THE APPLICATION IS MET. PUBLIC ART REQUIREMENTS AND SURROUNDING PROPERTIES WHERE WE NOTICED WITH TODAY'S MEETING INFORMATION DURING BOARD DISCUSSION, THERE IS DIRECTION FOR THE ARTIST TO ENHANCE THE PROPOSED SALE FISH TO REFLECT A MORE REALISTIC FEATURES AND THESE ADJUSTMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE AND WERE INCLUDED AS RESOLUTION EXHIBITS IN YOUR AGENDA PACKET, WHICH LATER WAS NOTICED THAT THEY WERE NOT INCLUDED. SO THAT WAS SENT THIS MORNING. SO OUR APOLOGIZE, OUR APOLOGIES FOR THAT, BUT HOPEFULLY YOU DID HTO TAKE A QUICK LOOK AT IT AND SEE THOSE MINOR REVISIONS. AT THIS TIME, STAFF WOULD LIKE TO ALLOW STUART MAIN STREET TO EXPAND ON THEIR REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL PROCESS. FOR THE ARTWORK YOU HAVE SEEN TODAY. BASED ON THE BOARD'S PREVIOUS REQUEST. FIRST, I SPEAK FIRST. SURE. AS I RECALL, THE LAST MEETING, BOTH JEFF AND MR. DE BERARD, AS I
[00:30:06]
RECALL. JUST FIRST COMMENT WAS, AND I'LL TRY TO QUOTE, WHY ARE WE SEEING THIS FOR THE FIRST TIME AT THIS MEETING? AND THEN MR. DE BERARD, I BELIEVE, ASKED FOR KIND OF A. AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, MR. DE BERARD, BUT KIND OF A SYNOPSIS OF THE WHOLE PROCESS OF HOW WE GET TO THESE MEETINGS AT THIS POINT IN TIME, DURING THIS WHOLE PROCESS. ANYONE? CAN ANYONE ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS? CHAIR MCCRYSTAL, CITY ATTORNEY LEE BAGGETT AGAIN, FOR THE RECORD, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT OUR CODE HAS A PROCESS FOR ARTWORK ON PUBLIC ART, ON PRIVATE PROPERTY AND PUBLIC ART IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY. AND IT APPEARS THAT OUR COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY DID NOT FOLLOW THE NORMAL CODE AND DEVIATED FROM THE CODE IN. NORMALLY, IF THEY. IF THE. IF THE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY OR THE CITY COMMISSION WANTED TO COMMISSION PUBLIC ART ON PUBLIC PROPERTY, THEY WOULD COME TO YOU GUYS FIRST ABOUT. HOW DO YOU WANT TO DO IT? THERE'S MULTIPLE WAYS IN IN THE CODE TO DO IT. AND THEN YOU WOULD CHOOSE WHICH WAY TO GO TO IT. AND THEN ONCE YOU CHOSE WHICH DIRECTION TO GO OUT FOR BID AND, AND THERE'S, I THINK THERE WERE THREE OPTIONS IN THE CODE. ONCE THEY YOU GET PROPOSALS, YOU WOULD REVIEW THE PROPOSALS AND RECOMMEND TO THE CRA. AT SOME POINT IN THE PAST, THE STUART MAIN STREET PROPOSED TO DO THE ARTWORK ON PUBLIC PROPERTY. SO THE CRA DID A RESOLUTION TO ALLOW THE STUART MAIN STREET TO GO OUT AND COMMISSION THE PROJECT ON THEIR OWN. SO THEY'RE NOT USING PUBLIC MONEY, THEY'RE USING THEIR OWN MONEY, AND THEY ARE IN THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM, ASKING FOR SOME REIMBURSEMENT FOR A FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS. SO THEY DEVIATED FROM WHAT THE NORMAL PROCEDURE IS. SO BECAUSE THE CRA GAVE THEM THE AUTHORITY TO COMMISSION OR BYPASSING THAT SECTION, WHICH IS WHAT YOU'RE ASKING ABOUT. AND WE ARE COMING DIRECTLY TO THE ARTWORK ITSELF.AND SO YOU HAVE THE STANDARDS FOR THE ARTWORK, WHICH WAS IDENTIFIED IN THE AGENDA ITEM.
AND THERE ARE TEN FACTORS THAT YOU GUYS CAN GO THROUGH. BUT TO REPEAT IT, IT SAYS THE BOARD SHALL HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO EXERCISE DISCRETION AND APPROVE A PROPOSAL THAT PROVES TO BE AN EXCEPTIONAL WORK OF ART. IT DOES NOT MEET ALL OF THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA. AND THERE ARE THE TEN CRITERIA WHICH JORDAN HAS PUT UP THERE ON THE BOARD. THE APPLICANT DOESN'T HAVE TO MEET ALL OF THEM, BUT IT MUST BE AN EXCEPTIONAL WORK OF ART AND MEET SOME OF THOSE FACTORS UP THERE AS FAR AS CRITERIA. AND SO YOU NEED TO BASE YOUR DECISION TO APPROVE THE ARTWORK ON ON THESE FACTORS, SOME OF THESE FACTORS. THANK YOU. SO. MR. QUESTIONS WERE WERE VALID THEN? YES. OKAY. IT WAS IT WAS A LITTLE CONFUSING TO US. WE WENT BACK, JORDAN AND I, TO LOOK AT THE CODE. AND IT SEEMS THAT WE HAD DEVIATED FROM THE CODE. I GUESS OUR CODE ADDRESSES. IF THE CITY COMMISSION, CRA OR THE CRA WENT INTO COMMISSION THIS AND PAY IT OUT OF THE CITY'S FUNDS OR THE CRA FUNDS, THERE WAS A PROCEDURE THAT WE WOULD BE MORE INVOLVED IN THE SELECTION PROCESS, BUT THE CRA WENT OUT AND SAID, STUART MAIN STREET PROPOSED IN THE CRA SAID, OKAY, WHY DON'T YOU GO DO IT AND BRING US BACK A PROJECT? AND SO YOU'RE JUST APPROVING THE PROJECT OR NOT. AND AGAIN, YOU GUYS ARE THE FINAL VOTE ON THIS.
IS THIS SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAPPEN WHERE WE'RE JUST GOING TO GET BLINDSIDED AND HAVE TO MAKE A QUICK DECISION WITHOUT HAVING ANY INPUT AT THE IN OF THE EARLY PROCESS DURING THIS IS SEEMS TO BE A UNIQUE PROCESS. I'VE NOT SEEN IT DONE THIS WAY.
THE NORMAL PROCEDURE THAT YOU'VE SEEN IN THE PAST AND SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE FOR A FEW YEARS NOW, IS IT'S A DEVELOPER COMING IN AND REDEVELOPING OR DOING A NEW DEVELOPMENT, AND THEY'RE REQUIRED TO DO PUBLIC ART. AND YOU GUYS ARE APPROVING THE PUBLIC ART. THERE IS, LIKE I SAID, I JUST WENT OVER THE PROCEDURE. WHEN IT'S PUBLIC ART ON PUBLIC PROPERTY, THERE'S A SEPARATE WAY WHERE YOU GUYS ARE MORE INVOLVED IN THE COMPETITIVE PROCUREMENT PROCESS.
BUT THE CRA BYPASSED US AND SAID, STUART, MAIN STREET, YOU GO DO IT, YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR IT, AND THEN YOU COME BACK. BUT WE STILL HAVE TO. YOU GUYS STILL HAVE TO APPROVE THE ARTWORK GOING ON, PUBLIC BUILDING, BASICALLY. AND YOU GOT TO USE THESE FACTORS AND YOU HAVE TO DETERMINE THAT IT'S AN EXCEPTIONAL PIECE OF ART AND THAT IT MEETS SOME OF THOSE FACTORS. OKAY. I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THAT PROCESS. SO IT SOUNDS LIKE CRA KIND OF JUMPED THE SHARK OR JUMPED THE SHELF, SELFISH A LITTLE BIT, AND GAVE THE PROCESS TO STUART
[00:35:02]
MAIN STREET. SO NOW IT'S THEY'RE KIND OF BALL AND THEY'RE ALLOWED TO DO WHAT THEY WANT WITH IT. BECAUSE THE QUESTION I HAD IN THE PREVIOUS MEETING WAS, I WASN'T SURE ABOUT THE RFP PROCESS. I'M GLAD TO SEE CANDICE IS HERE TO. AND I'M GUESSING THAT'S WHAT GEORGE IS GOING TO EXPLAIN HOW THE WHOLE PROCESS WENT. AND I WOULD JUST. MY QUESTION AT THAT TIME WAS, I SHOULD PROBABLY WAIT TILL GEORGE GIVES THIS PRESENTATION AND THEN I'LL FOLLOW UP, BUT I. I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT YOU CAN'T BASE YOUR DECISION ON THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS AND THAT YOU'RE UNSATISFIED WITH THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS. YOU HAVE A PIECE OF ARTWORK IN FRONT OF YOU, AND YOU HAVE TO DECIDE WHETHER IT'S AN EXCEPTIONAL WORK OF ART AND MEETS SOME OF THESE FACTORS. SO YOU CAN'T. AND NOW YOU'RE KIND OF GETTING OUT IN THE WEEDS IF YOU'RE GOING THERE. IF WE WERE PAYING FOR IT AND WE DID IT ON PUBLIC PROPERTY, YOU WOULD BE YOU WOULD HAVE SELECTED THE PROCESS AND THEN YOU WOULD HAVE SELECTED FROM THE CANDIDATES, AND THEN YOU WOULD HAVE SELECTED THE ARTWORK. RIGHT. SO SO THIS IS KIND OF THEIR, THEIR ANIMAL WELL, OR THEIR, THEIR, THEY HANDLED THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS. THEY ARE SAYING, HEY, CITY OF STUART, WE'RE GOING TO PAY FOR THE THIS MURAL ON YOUR BUILDING, BUT YOU STILL GET TO PROVE THE, THE ARTWORK THAT GOES ON THE BUILDING. SO AND THAT'S WHY I JUST DON'T WANT US TO GET SIDETRACKED AND IN THE WEEDS, WHEN YOU KNOW YOUR, YOUR SCOPE IS YOU LOOKED AT THE PROJECT, YOU'VE SEEN THE ARTWORK. IS IT AN EXCEPTIONAL PIECE OF ART, WORK OF ART AND DOES IT MEET SOME OF THESE FACTORS? THAT'S VERY GOOD.THANKS. THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO ELABORATE WHAT LEE SAID. THIS WAS AN IN UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES, THE THE RESOLUTION RESOLUTION DID GO BEFORE THE CRA BOARD AND THE CRA BOARD DIRECTED STAFF TO ALLOW MAIN STREET TO GO OUT FOR RFP AND DO THEIR OWN PROCESS BECAUSE THEY WERE APPLYING FOR A GRANT. SHOULD THE CRA STAFF GO OUT TO OUR RFP FOR PUBLIC ART AND PUBLIC PROPERTY, IT WOULD COME BEFORE YOU. WE WOULD PRESENT ALL THE OPTIONS TO YOU, AND YOU WOULD HAVE AN. YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO SELECT. BUT THIS IS A UNIQUE. CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE MAIN STREET APPLIED FOR A GRANT AND THAT'S WHY THEY DID THE RFP PROCESS. SO I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT WAS THE DIRECTION FROM THE CRA BOARD, NOT CRA STAFF. YES. THROUGH RESOLUTION 02-2025. COMMISSIONER. APPLICANT. YES. YES, SIR. FOR THE RECORD, GEORGE MRMR I'M A BOARD MEMBER WITH STEWART MAIN STREET. YOU'VE SEEN ME BEFORE UP HERE.
I WORK ALSO, I'M A PARTNER WITH CUTLER AND HEARING WE'RE A LAND PLANNING AND LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE FIRM. THROUGH THAT ROLE, I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF BOTH PREPARING RFPS AND SUBMITTING FOR RFPS NUMEROUS TIMES. SO VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE PROCESS AND HOW IT GENERAL REQUIREMENTS ARE FOR IT. JUST IN SUMMARY, THIS IS A UNIQUE SITUATION WHERE WE HAVE A NONPROFIT VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION PAYING FOR PUBLIC ART IN A PUBLIC PLACE. SO THE BENEFIT TO THE CITY WAS THAT THE CITY DIDN'T HAVE TO DIRECT THAT PROCUREMENT PROCESS TO GO OUT FOR RFP, TO PREPARE THE DOCUMENTS TO IT, SAVE THE CITY BOTH TIME AND MONEY TO HAVE AN ORGANIZATION DO THAT ON BEHALF OF THE CITY. GENERALLY, I THINK WE'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH MAIN STREET'S MISSION TO PROMOTE THE DOWNTOWN AREA. IT'S A WONDERFUL ORGANIZATION. I WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE IN STEWART, AND I'M HONORED TO BE ABLE TO BE IN THIS POSITION, TO BE ON THE BOARD AND HELP THE ORGANIZATION THE BEST I CAN. I CAN SKIP FORWARD. MR. MAIN STREET IS INVOLVED IN A NUMBER OF PROJECTS OVER THE YEARS. THIS IS JUST, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE MOST RECENT ONES, BUT REALLY PROMOTING THE DOWNTOWN AREA. FLAGLER PARK IS A SIGNIFICANT LOCATION. IT'S IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PARK. IT'S AN IMPORTANT RESOURCE FOR THE CITIZENS AND RESIDENTS OF STEWART. I'VE BEEN COMING HERE MY WHOLE LIFE. AND SO ANY IMPROVEMENTS I THINK ARE WONDERFUL ADDITIONS. NEXT. SO IN TERMS OF THE RFP PROCESS, STEWART MAIN STREET PUT TOGETHER A COMMITTEE, THREE BOARD MEMBERS. THEY DRAFTED THE RFP, WE POSTED IT ONLINE AND THEN PROMOTED THAT POSTING IN SEVERAL. BOTH PAID ADS AND ORGANIC POSTS. GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. IN TERMS OF TOTAL METRICS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IMPRESSIONS MEAN, BUT THERE WAS SEVERAL THOUSAND PEOPLE THAT SAW IT. LOTS OF PEOPLE REPOSTED IT. WE ENDED UP GETTING 12 APPLICANTS. IN ADDITION TO THE ONLINE POSTINGS, IT WAS ALSO SENT TO MARTIN ARTS COUNCIL, WHO ALSO PUT IT OUT TO THEIR ORGANIZATION AS WELL. SO AS WE SAID, WE HAD 12 APPLICANTS RESPOND TO THAT. THE NEXT SLIDE TO WITHIN THAT RFP, THERE WAS AN OUTLINE OF THEMING, WHAT THE ART WAS. IT WAS GOING ON THE THE RESTROOM BUILDING AT THE PARK. WE'RE LOOKING FOR A MURAL.
WE WANTED TO PROMOTE THE STEWART'S UNIQUE CHARACTER HISTORY AND NATURAL BEAUTY, AND
[00:40:04]
THEN REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SUBMITTAL. THEY HAD TO COMPLETE AN ARTIST APPLICATION. THE PROPOSAL NEEDED TO IDENTIFY THE MEDIUM, WHAT WHAT THE ARTIST MEDIUM WAS GOING TO BE PAINT, WHAT TYPE OF PAINT, THAT SORT OF THING. TIMELINE FOR THEIR INSTALLATION OF THE ART BUDGET.ARTIST RESUME. PROOF OF INSURANCE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM. A LOT OF THE GENERAL REQUIREMENTS AND THEN ENCOURAGE. WE WANTED TO SEE REFERENCES AND PREVIOUS WORKS OF ART GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. SO THE 12 OF THE 12 APPLICANTS THAT SUBMITTED, THEY WERE GRADED IN SIX DIFFERENT CRITERIA ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 5. AND THERE WAS A WEIGHTED AVERAGE SUBMITTED. SO THAT WAS UNDERSTANDING THE SCOPE, THEIR TECHNICAL APPROACH, EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE, BUDGET TIMELINE AND REFERENCES FROM PREVIOUS PROJECTS. SO A COMPLETELY FAIR AND HONEST PROCESS, AND THAT'S REALLY THE CORNERSTONE OF THE RFP PROCESS, IS AN UNBIASED APPROACH TO GETTING A PROPOSAL FOR THE WORK. SO THAT IS A SUMMARY OF THE RFP ITSELF AND GO TO THE NEXT. I THINK WE'RE ALL UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC ART AND WHY WE REQUIRE IT IN THE FIRST PLACE OF ALL NEW DEVELOPMENTS. BUT IN TERMS OF THIS EXAMPLE, DRIVING FOOT TRAFFIC, PROMOTING LOCAL SPENDING, A SOURCE OF CIVIC PRIDE, AGAIN, WE HAVE SAILFISH EVERYWHERE. IT'S IT'S PART OF OUR IDENTITY HERE IN STEWART. AND SO HAVING THAT THAT PUBLIC ART ENHANCING THAT THE PARK THROUGH THIS, THIS PROJECT IS, YOU KNOW, REALLY SIGNIFICANT IN THAT RESPECT.
AND THE NEXT SLIDE FINALLY. AND THE REVISED MURAL ITSELF, I THINK REALLY THE ONLY CHANGE WAS TO THE SAILFISH SLIGHT ANGLE CHANGE ON THE FOREHEAD OF THE FISH. I A PERSONAL ANECDOTE, I THINK THAT THE ART IS, IS BEAUTIFULLY DONE. IT'S A GREAT DESIGN. I THINK IT'S REALLY GOING TO ENHANCE THE PARK. BUT JUST WANTED TO NOTE AGAIN, ALSO THE CITY'S POLICY AND PROMOTING WORKS OF ART TO CREATE VIBRANT, UNIQUE DESTINATIONS WITHIN THE CITY. SO HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ON THE RFP PROCESS OR ANYTHING ELSE YOU GUYS HAVE. THANK YOU. WELL THANKS, GEORGE.
I'M GOING TO JUMP IN. HOLD ON A SECOND. CAN WE SEE THE OTHER PICTURES OF THE BUILDINGS? YEAH, SURE. LET ME JUST GO BACK TO MY PRESENTATION. YEAH. LIGHT OFF WOULD BE GOOD. YEAH.
WHEN WE DISCUSS THE ACTUAL ARTWORK. ALL RIGHT. SO IS THAT ARE YOU HAVE YOU CONCLUDED YOUR PRESENTATION? YES, SIR. BOARD MEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR FOR THE PETITIONER I HAVE A I WAS GOING TO MAKE A COMMENT. YES, SURE. COMMENTS ARE FINE. OKAY. THANKS.
I'M GLAD TO SEE GEORGE PRESENT THE THE PROCESS THAT WAS INVOLVED WITH THE RFP. THAT WAS A BIG QUESTION I HAD BEFORE. I THOUGHT THAT THE ARTISTS THAT THEY SELECTED WAS, WAS, WAS OUTSTANDING. I'VE SEEN SOME OF HER WORK AND I KNOW SHE'S ABLE TO GET THINGS ANATOMICALLY CORRECT. SHE'S GOT THE OSPREY AND THE VARIEGATED PINEAPPLE PINKS. IT'S GOOD. I WAS JUST CONCERNED ABOUT THE SELFISH. I'M GLAD SHE'S WORKED IT A LITTLE BIT. AND SINCE YOU APPROVED GEORGIA, I GOTTA ASK YOU, DO YOU THINK THAT'S A LITTLE TOO MUCH LIKE A DOLPHIN? BUT I WON'T GO THERE. BUT ANYWAY, I THINK YOU GOT TWO GREAT EXAMPLES OF SAILFISH ON EITHER SIDE. VERY DIFFERENT. FOREHEADS WERE THE SELFISH CAPITAL OF THE WORLD. WE HAVE TO DEFEND THE SELFISH. NO. ANYWAY, BUT THANKS FOR POINTING OUT THE PROCESS INVOLVED WITH THE RFP. THAT WAS MY COMMENT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THANK YOU. ABOUT THE ACTUAL ARTWORK. YES, SIR. I THINK THE I THINK IT'S BEAUTIFUL. I LOVE I LOVE IT MOSTLY, BUT I THINK THE PINEAPPLE TAKES UP AN AWFUL LOT OF REAL ESTATE. I DON'T I DON'T KNOW IF STUART IS KNOWN FOR ITS PINEAPPLE. I THINK I'M JUST WONDERING IF THAT MIGHT BE THAT'S THAT REAL ESTATE THAT IT TAKES UP. I MEAN, WE'RE NOT GOING TO EXTEND THIS MORE, BUT I'M JUST THROWING OUT AN IDEA.
BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THE PINEAPPLE IS PRETTY PROMINENT, WHERE A PINEAPPLE PLANTATION AT ONE TIME THEY WERE THEY WERE BIG. THIS IS ACTUALLY A BIG A BIG CONTRIBUTOR THERE. YEAH. YEAH.
SO YEAH, MOST OF IT. I THINK IT'S BEAUTIFUL THOUGH. BEAUTIFUL ARTWORK. MR. NO. MR.
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CHANCE ALRIGHT. NO OTHER COMMENTS. I HAVE I HAVE SOME COMMENTS. I DON'T SIT HERE AS A ART HATER WHO IS AGAINST PUTTING MURALS ON BUILDINGS. I HAVE THERE ARE PLENTY OF OTHER EXAMPLES OF REALLY GOOD MURALS ON OUR OTHER BUILDINGS. I ENJOY THE ONE AT MEMORIAL PARK. COULD YOU LEAVE THOSE PICTURES UP THERE PLEASE? TO ME, LET'S JUST SAY YOU'RE TAKING YOUR KIDS TO THE PARK. WHY WOULD YOU TAKE THEM TO THE PARK? WELL, IN TODAY'S WORLD, YOU WANT TO SCREEN FOR SURE. AND THEN SECONDLY, I'D WANT THEM TO REALLY TAKE A LOOK AROUND AND MAYBE SEE THINGS THAT HAVEN'T SEEN BEFORE. NATURE, TREES, RIVER, GRASS. AND FOR THIS.BATHROOM. TO STAND OUT LIKE IT DOES IN THE PARK AND IT SCREAMS. I HAD A BUDDY, HE SAID, WHAT ARE YOU UP TO TODAY? I SAID, CRB MEETING. SO I SHOWED HIM THE PICTURES. HE WAS HILARIOUS.
HE SAID, FRANK, WHAT'S WRONG WITH THAT? IT SCREAMS, LOOK AT ME, LOOK AT ME. I GOT A PEE.
IT'S A BATHROOM. SO I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A BATHROOM IF YOU IF YOU DON'T WANT TO LOOK AT A BATHROOM IN A PARK, FINE. MAKE IT DISAPPEAR. MAKE IT. TRY TO GO AWAY WITH SOME. EITHER COMBINATION OF LANDSCAPING AND REALISTIC COLORS. THAT BLEND INTO THE LANDSCAPE ITSELF. OKAY.
ALL THE OTHER MURALS IN OUR TOWN RESPECT. THEY DO RESPECT OUR CULTURE AND OUR HERITAGE AND WHO WE ARE AS A LAID BACK COMMUNITY ON THE RIVER, AND WE'VE ALWAYS PRIDED OURSELVES IN NOT BEING DADE COUNTY, NOT BEING KEY WEST. WE ARE DIFFERENT HERE, AND I COULD RAMBLE ON FOR A FEW DAYS, BUT THIS WILL BE GETTING A. A NO VOTE FROM ME. ABSOLUTELY. AND IT'S JUST IT'S JUST TOO BIZARRE TO ME. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. SO NO OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS.
I HAVE A COMMENT. KNOWING THAT WE GET THE FINAL DECISION ON THIS ARTWORK, KNOWING ALSO THAT IT HITS THOSE HIGH POINTS THAT WAS ASKED OF US TO ADDRESS SOME OF THEM. IT IT'S IT HIT SOME OF THOSE POINTS IN MY EYESIGHT. IT DOES YOU KNOW, I'M NOT A REAL ART PERSON, BUT IT LOOKS GOOD AND IT BLENDS INTO THE NATURAL SURROUNDINGS. TO ME, IT JUST BLENDS IN. AND THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS. WOW. THANK YOU SIR. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? QUESTIONS. ALRIGHT, I GUESS IT'S TIME TO DO THE DEED. LET'S DO THE DEED. DO I HAVE ANY? CAN I CALL FOR A MOTION? ANY MOTIONS TO APPROVE THIS WORK OF ART? I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION WITH THE UPDATES PROVIDED BY THE ARTIST FOR THE MEETING TODAY. CHAIRMAN CRYSTAL, ALONG WITH THE OUTLINE, WE'RE SKIPPING AHEAD. WE GOT TO CLOSE OUT THE EVIDENCE. NUMBER SIX. AS A CITY STAFF, HAVE ANY RESPONSE OR COMMENTS RELATED TO THE PRESENTATION? NO, SIR. GOOD. DOES THE PETITIONER WISH TO OFFER ANY REBUTTAL TO THIS VICIOUS ATTACK ON THIS ARTWORK? OKAY. THIS IS THE CLOSE OF THIS HEARING. ALL THE EVIDENCE HAS BEEN PROVIDED TO THE BOARD MEMBERS TO DELIBERATE IN PUBLIC,
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ASKING THEM TO CITE THE FACTS BEING CONSIDERED, AND THEN TO STATE THEIR POSITION AND FORMULATE A MOTION. ANY PUBLIC COMMENT. CHAIR, I HAVE NONE. OKAY. THANK YOU. MAY I CALL FOR A MOTION NOW? DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? YEAH. I'M SORRY. I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE WITH THE THE UPDATES. I'LL SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ROLL CALL, PLEASE.BOARD MEMBER. YES. BOARD MEMBER. WHELAN. NO. CHAIRMAN CRYSTAL. NO. BOARD MEMBER. JAMES. YES.
BOARD MEMBER. LAUGHLIN. YES. BOARD MEMBER. YES. VICE CHAIR. MOSER. YES. MOTION PASSES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I BELIEVE THAT IS OUR LAST. NO, SIR. WE HAVE TO APPROVE GRANT FUNDING.
[3. MURAL MATCHING GRANT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CRA AND APPLICANT OF 221 SW FLAGLER AVENUE (RC): RESOLUTION No. 01-2026 CRA; A RESOLUTION OF THE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, AUTHORIZING THE BOARD CHAIR TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE STUART COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY AND STUART MAIN STREET ASSOCIATION, LLC., WHO IS THE APPLICANT, FOR A MURAL MATCHING GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $3,000 TO INSTALL A MURAL ON THE EXTERIOR SOUTHERN, WESTERN AND EASTERN WALL OF A BUILDING LOCATED AT 221 SW FLAGLER AVENUE; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. ]
OH, WE GOTTA GO AGAIN. NOW. WE GET TO ASK FOR THE MONEY. ALRIGHT. RESOLUTION NUMBER 01-2026, CRAA RESOLUTION OF THE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, AUTHORIZING THE BOARD CHAIR TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE STUART COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY AND STUART MAIN STREET ASSOCIATION, LLC. WHO IS THE APPLICANT FOR A MURAL MATCHING GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $3,000 TO INSTALL A MURAL ON THE EXTERIOR SOUTHERN, WESTERN AND EASTERN WALL OF A BUILDING LOCATED AT 221 SOUTHWEST FLAGLER AVENUE, PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. AND AGAIN, WE'RE GOING BACK TO BEING A RECOMMENDATION TO THE CRA. SO THIS IS NOT QUASI JUDICIAL. CORRECT. OKAY. VERY GOOD.ALRIGHT. SO THIS APPLICATION AND THE ARTWORK THAT YOU JUST RECEIVED IS PART OF NOW THE MURAL MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM APPLICATION. SO THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROGRAM IS TO USE MURALS AS A CATALYST FOR REDEFINING OUR, OUR AREA AS A DESTINATION FOR ARTS AND CULTURE. THE APPLICANTS ARE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IN THE FORM OF A 5050 FUND MATCH, NOT TO EXCEED $3,000 FOR NEW MURAL ARTWORK THAT IS VISIBLE FROM THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY EACH FISCAL YEAR, THE CRA BUDGETS $20,000 FOR THE MURAL MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM.
MURALS THAT ARE FUNDED BY THE PROGRAM MAY BE PLACED ON PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES, AS WELL AS PRIVATE PROPERTIES LIMITED, LIMITED TO NON RESIDENTIAL AND MIXED USE BUILDINGS WITHIN THE CRA. THE MURAL PROGRAM WAS IMPLEMENTED IN 2019 AND HAS ASSISTED WITH THE FUNDING OF EIGHT MURALS THROUGHOUT THE CRA. THE MURALS PICTURED ARE ON THE GUILT COMPLEX TO HONE BUILDING OLD COLORADO IN URBAN BOTANICALS, MATILDAS AND THE VA. BUILDING ON MLK. AS MENTIONED, THE PROPOSED MURAL WILL BE INSTALLED ON THE EXTERIOR SOUTHERN, WESTERN AND EASTERN WALL OF THE FLAGLER PARK RESTROOM BUILDING, LOCATED AT 221 SOUTHWEST FLAGLER AVENUE, AND THE ARTWORK WILL BE HIGHLY VISIBLE TO BOTH VEHICULAR TRAFFIC AND PARK VISITORS. AS THE RESTROOM BUILDING IS CENTRALLY SITUATED WITHIN THE PARK, THE MURAL CAN BE CLEARLY SEEN FROM MULTIPLE KEY VANTAGE POINTS, INCLUDING FLAGLER AVENUE, THE BASKETBALL COURTS PLAYGROUND PAVILION, HUDSON RESTAURANT, FLAGLER CENTER AND ENSURING ENSURING A STRONG PUBLIC EXPOSURE AND ENGAGEMENT. AND THEN, AS YOU KNOW, PUBLIC ART IS AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT TO COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION. ART STRENGTHENS COMMUNITY, DRIVES TOURISM, AND FOSTERS AN ENVIRONMENT OF CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION. AND THROUGH THIS COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION REVITALIZATION EFFORT, WE AIM TO ENGAGE THE CREATIVE SECTOR TO DRIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE CRA. AND AS DESCRIBED IN THE PREVIOUS AGENDA ITEM, THE PROPOSED MURAL WILL SUPPORT THOSE EFFORTS. THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A MATCHING GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $3,000 FOR THE PROPOSED MURAL. THE TOTAL COST OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT IS ESTIMATED AT $18,450. THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A REIMBURSEMENT OF 50% OF THE TOTAL COST OF THE PROJECT, BUT NOT TO EXCEED THE 3000 WITHIN OUR GUIDELINES. SO AT THIS TIME, STAFF WOULD REQUEST A MOTION TO RECOMMEND THE CRA APPROVE RESOLUTION 01-2026 CRA TO AWARD THE GRANT AMOUNT OF 3000 FOR THE MURAL. ANY ANY COMMENTS FROM BOARD ON THIS? ANY MOTIONS TO APPROVE? YOU HAVE A COMMENT? I HAVE A COMMENT. OKAY. COMMENT. THE RFP PROCESS YOU SAID WAS
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POSTED ONLINE. MY MY CONCERN HERE IS WE'RE POTENTIALLY USING PUBLIC FUNDS FROM LOCAL TAXPAYERS. AND MAYBE, GEORGE, YOU CAN ANSWER THIS QUESTION. ON THE RESPONSES. OR HOW DO YOU KNOW THE QUESTION THAT I HAD LAST TIME AND IS STILL PERSIST IS HOW DO WE KNOW THAT THE LOCAL ARTIST AND THERE'S A VERY WELL KNOWN LOCAL ARTIST RECEIVED THIS. I MEAN, MAYBE THEY DIDN'T LOOK AT THE STEWART MAIN STREET WEBSITE TO GET AN IMPRESSION OR TO MAKE AN IMPRESSION OR TO MAKE A COMMENT. SO CAN YOU ADDRESS THAT? YEAH. SO THERE WERE SEVERAL PAID ADS THAT WERE DONE TO POST THIS OUT AS FAR AS WE COULD GO, AS WELL AS LOCAL ARTIST ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS MARTIN ARTS COUNCIL, WHICH MOST OF THE LOCAL ARTISTS ARE FAIRLY WELL TIED INTO FOR LOCAL OPPORTUNITIES. GOOD. SO, YOU KNOW, THEY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY WHETHER OR NOT THEY SAW IT, MAYBE THEY DIDN'T. TOO LATE. THERE'S A DEADLINE, BUT THAT GOES BACK TO IT BEING A FAIR PROCESS WHERE EVERYBODY WHO SEES IT AND SUBMITS HAS THE ABILITY TO POTENTIALLY WIN THE JOB. OKAY. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN SPEAK ON BEHALF OF MARTIN ARTS COUNCIL, BUT WERE THEY SELECTIVE IN WHO? WE HAVE A MEMBER HERE WHO MIGHT MAYBE CAN EXPLAIN, WAS THERE A SELECTION PROCESS OR WHEN YOU REACHED OUT TO THE YOUR ARTIST, DID YOU HAVE. IS IT ALL OF THEM IN GENERAL, OR HOW DID YOU PICK THE PEOPLE THAT YOU CONTACTED OR IF YOU CONTACTED PEOPLE? WE SHARED THE INFORMATION THAT STEWART MAIN STREET PROVIDED ABOUT THE CALL FOR ARTISTS TO HAVE AS BROAD A NETWORK AS WE PROMOTE ANY OTHER CALL TO ARTISTS, WE WORK WITH THE COUNTY'S ART IN PUBLIC PLACES PROGRAM AS WELL, AND MANY OTHER THINGS. AND SO, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T GUARANTEE THAT EVERY ARTIST READ OUR EMAILS AND THE INFORMATION THAT WENT OUT, BUT TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY, WE PUT ALL THESE. OPPORTUNITIES OUT IN FRONT OF THEM SO THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT. AND I THINK YOU SAID YOU HAD 14 RESPONSES, 12 RESPONSES. THAT'S ACTUALLY A REALLY HIGH NUMBER IN COMPARISON TO A LOT OF CALLS AND RESPONSES I'VE. OKAY. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. OKAY. SO MY CONCERN JUST TO JUST SAY NO IS I SEE THE POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST HERE WITH THE CRA IS WE'RE POTENTIALLY GIVING LOCAL TAXPAYER FUNDS TO AN OUTSIDER.IN THIS CASE, IT WOULD BE A MIAMI BASED ARTIST. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE THEY'RE FROM.
HAPPENS TO BE A VERY GOOD ARTIST. I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT ARTIST. BUT, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY AN OUTSIDE ARTIST OR ENTITY HAS DEEPER POCKETS AND THEY CAN AFFORD TO DO A PROJECT LOWER THAN LIKE A LOCAL ARTIST. SO WE'RE BEING ASKED NOW TO APPROVE $3,000 OF LOCAL TAXPAYER FUNDS. SO I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE ANYBODY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY, OR MANY OF THE LOCAL ARTISTS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO SAY SOMETHING AND THEY EITHER CHOSE NOT TO OR 12 PEOPLE DID. AND, AND THE SELECTION PROCESS, WHICH WAS IDENTIFIED, PICKED AN OUTSIDE ARTIST, WHICH IS FINE. IT'S A VERY GOOD ARTIST. SO BOARD MEMBER, LAUGHLIN, IF I COULD SPEAK JUST A LITTLE BIT. SO JUST SO YOU ARE AWARE, THE OVERALL PROJECT COST THAT'S GOING TO BE PAID FOR BY STUART MAIN STREET IS $18,450. SO ALL THEY'RE GETTING OUT OF THIS IS 3000 IN REFERENCE TO THAT THAT COMMENT. AND AND ANOTHER THING TO THINK ABOUT IS WE DON'T RESTRICT LOCAL ARTISTS TO APPLY THROUGH OUR PROGRAM. RIGHT. SO THE MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM HAS GUIDELINES ITSELF. SO THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE RESTRICT.
THAT'S UP TO THE BUSINESS OWNER OR IN THIS CASE, THE ORGANIZATION ON WHAT ARTWORK THEY CHOOSE AND, AND WHAT ARTISTS THEY MOVE FORWARD WITH. SO IF AGAIN, LIKE IF THAT'S SOMETHING YOU MAY WANT TO REVISIT AS FAR AS IN ORDER TO APPLY FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM, MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING WE CHANGE THAT WE ONLY SUPPORT LOCAL ARTISTS BEING PART OF THIS PROGRAM. WE CAN REVISIT THAT, BUT IT WASN'T PART OF THE CURRENT APPLICATION GUIDELINES.
WE HAVE. JUST A QUICK NOTE, I APPRECIATE THE THOUGHT. I THINK THE MORE A BIGGER CONFLICT WOULD BE IF THE CITY WAS FUNDING A LOCAL ARTIST TO DO A MURAL IN MIAMI, IN THIS CASE, WHAT THE CITY'S GETTING OUT OF THIS IS THE ART ON IN THE CITY, REGARDLESS OF WHO PAINTS IT, THE END PRODUCT IS A BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF ART WITHIN THE CITY, AND THAT'S THE INTENT BEHIND THE PROGRAM, IS THAT IT'S FUNDING ART WITHIN THE CITY. GOTCHA. BUT YOU'RE STILL ASKING FOR $3,000, HOWEVER SMALL, SMALL. I'M JUST SAYING. CORRECT. BUT THANK YOU, THOUGH. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I HAVE A QUESTION. QUESTION. DID WE RECEIVE ANY PROPOSAL, ANY ANY SUBMISSIONS BY LOCAL ARTISTS? DID WE HAVE ANYTHING WE CAN SEE? JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY. OKAY.
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FOR THE RECORD, CANDACE CALLAHAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR STEWART MAIN STREET. HAD THE CONDITIONS BEEN CLEAR, WE WOULD HAVE DEFINITELY SHARED THOSE OTHER ARTISTS IF THAT WAS A PART OF YOUR RFP PROCESS. BUT IT WASN'T. SO I, OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, REMEMBERING, I THINK WE HAD ABOUT 4 OR 5 THAT WERE CONSIDERED LOCAL, BUT TO TO DEFINE LOCAL, I THINK SHOULD ALSO BE WELL DEFINED IN YOUR PROCEDURES WITH STAFF IN YOUR DIRECTION WITH STAFF, AS JORDAN MENTIONED, I'M SURE THEY WOULD WELCOME A CONVERSATION ABOUT CHANGING THOSE CURRENT GUIDELINES, BUT THAT WASN'T GIVEN TO US. AND AGAIN, WE WELCOMED EVERYONE TO PARTICIPATE. A LOT OF THE MURALS THAT ARE ON OUR BUILDINGS HAVE ALSO BEEN DONE BY ARTISTS WHO ARE NOT LOCAL STEWART RESIDENTS, MAYBE MARTIN COUNTY, MAYBE PALM BEACH, MAYBE PORT SAINT LUCIE. SO AGAIN, IT'S A LITTLE IT'S A LITTLE TOUGH, BUT WE DID HAVE A FEW.AND AGAIN, BEING ALL FAIR, WE WOULDN'T HAVE FELT GOOD ABOUT JUST SCORING THEM ON THEIR LOCATION OF WHERE THEIR HOME ADDRESS IS. WE WENT BY THE QUALITY OF THE ARTWORK, THEIR PAST WORK, THEIR RESUME, THEIR PROFESSIONALISM. SO I MEAN, SOMEONE SUBMITTED AND THIS GOES TO SPEAK TO ALL, ALL THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROFESSIONAL APPLICATIONS WE RECEIVED. ONE WAS DRAWN AND DOODLED ON A NAPKIN. SO, SO EVERYTHING WAS A FACTOR IN SCORING THESE INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR. AND I THINK IT WOULD BE UNFAIR OF US TO SHOW THOSE AT THIS JUNCTURE WHEN THEY WEREN'T OUR PICK BECAUSE OF THE SCORING. IS THAT DOES THAT HELP A LITTLE BIT? I KNOW IT'S NOT IDEAL AND IT'S NOT, BUT AS STATED, YOU WERE VOTING ON THE ARTWORK AND NOW WE'RE VOTING ON THIS PIECE OF IT. SO I AND I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO WORK WITH STAFF IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY WOULD PREFER, AND MOVING FORWARD AND MAKING ANY AMENDMENTS TO THE CURRENT PROCEDURES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND DO YOU HAVE ONE MORE COMMENT, IF I MAY, AM I ALLOWED? YES. OKAY. I DO ALSO WANT TO STATE THAT AS STEWARDS OF FLAGLER PARK, BECAUSE OUR HOME IS AT FLAGLER CENTER, YOU, JEFF, ARE VERY FAMILIAR. USED TO SEE YOU QUITE A BIT THERE ON WEDNESDAY MORNINGS. WE ARE AT THAT PARK EVERY WEEK, EVERY DAY. THIS WAS A SELFISH OPPORTUNITY FOR MAIN STREET TO, HOW SHOULD WE SAY, MOTIVATE AND INSPIRE THE CITY OF STUART TO HELP MAKE FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS TO THAT PARK? BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, AND I KNOW THIS PROBABLY ISN'T VERY PC TO SAY SO FORGIVE ME. IT'S BEEN TREATED AS THE RED HEADED STEPCHILD OF THE CITY OF STUART AND OUR DOWNTOWN. THAT PARK GETS A LOT OF USE BECAUSE ITS BEAUTY OF ITS BEAUTY AND ITS LOCATION. THIS WAS THE FIRST STEP IN HELPING INSPIRE THE CITY OF STUART, WHO DOESN'T HAVE A MASTER PLAN FOR ITS PARKS AT THIS POINT, WHICH I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE ALL LOVE GREEN SPACE, WE ALL LOVE PRESERVING OUR NATURAL HABITAT OF OUR HOME. THE GAZEBOS ARE FALLING APART, THE METAL ROOFS ARE ALL LEAKING, AND THEY'RE RUSTED, THE WOOD IS ROTTING AT THE GAZEBOS AND THE BENCHES AND THE PICNIC TABLES AND THE SIDEWALK IS EMBARRASSING. SO LIKE, WE GET THE MESSAGE. SO THIS WAS A SORRY. SO THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY, I THINK, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE A DISSERVICE IF WE DIDN'T ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I GOT ONE THIS AND IT WAS ALREADY MENTIONED, WHICH IS GOOD. THIS WHOLE THIS WHOLE THING FEELS ICKY TO ME BECAUSE. YOU KNOW, I'M A, I'M A WE THE PEOPLE KIND OF GUY. AND THIS FEELS LIKE ALL THESE ALL DECISIONS WERE MADE BY A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE MONEY TO DO IT. AND THEN IT WAS PRESENTED TO THE PEOPLE WHO'S SUPPOSED TO MAKE THE DECISION LATER. SO I WOULD HOPE GOING FORWARD THAT WHATEVER, WHATEVER REASONS FOR THIS NEW PROCESS, THAT WAS A AN ANOMALY IN THIS WHOLE ARTSY FARTSY WORLD, I WOULD HOPE WE GET IT IRONED OUT AND THINGS DON'T EVER HAPPEN LIKE THIS AGAIN. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT. DO I HAVE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF THE $3,000 GRANT FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL ARTWORK? MOTION TO ADOPTION? I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND, HAVE A SECOND ROLL CALL, PLEASE. YEAH. OH, I'M SORRY, ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? ALL RIGHT. I REALIZED I FORGOT TO INTRODUCE MYSELF PROPERLY
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LAST TIME. SO NANCY TERRELL, PRESIDENT OF THE CITY OF STUART, BUT ALSO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE LAST 27 YEARS OF MARTIN ARTS. SO WE DID, AS YOU WOULD HAVE SEEN IN YOUR PACKET, APPROVE THIS. OUR RECOMMENDATION WAS TO SUPPORT THE GRANT FOR THIS. THIS IS A UNIQUE CASE FOR US AS WELL. WE HELPED CREATE AND WE ARE THE FISCAL AGENT FOR A GROUP OF PRIVATE WOMEN PHILANTHROPISTS IN THIS COMMUNITY CALLED WOMEN SUPPORTING THE ARTS, AND THEY WERE PRESENTED WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO HELP FUND THIS PROJECT AND HAVE A $10,000 GRANT THAT WOMEN FROM ACROSS THIS COMMUNITY WHO HAVE VOLUNTARILY, PHILANTHROPICALLY, GIVEN THEIR MONEY, HAVE SELECTED THIS PARTICULAR MURAL IN THIS PROJECT FOR $10,000 GRANT. IT'S A PRETTY IMPRESSIVE. THE WORD JUST WENT OUT OF MY HEAD ANYWAY. COMMENT ON HOW STRONGLY THEY FELT AS COMMUNITY RESIDENTS THAT IT DID SPEAK TO THEM. SO I DO ENCOURAGE YOU TO VOTE FOR IN FAVOR OF THE 3000. I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH PUBLIC ART FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.OFTENTIMES, THE ARTIST DOES NOT LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT JUST LOOKING TO MEET THAT NEED. YOU'RE LOOKING TO FIND THE BEST PIECE AND THE BEST PERSON TO CREATE THE RIGHT PIECE IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME. SO I ENCOURAGE ANY PUBLIC ART PROGRAM NOT TO LIMIT IT TO JUST A LOCAL ARTIST, BECAUSE YOU WILL NOT GET THE BEST OF THE BEST THROUGH YOUR PROCESSES. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU MA'AM. THANK YOU FOR THE. VALIDATION OF MY ORIGINAL COMMENT, WHICH WAS VERY FEW PEOPLE MADE MOST OF THE DECISIONS AND THEN IT WAS PRESENTED TO US LATER. AND AGAIN, I WOULD HOPE THIS PROCESS NEVER GOES LIKE THIS AGAIN. DO I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND? OKAY, GOOD MOTION AND A SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. YES.
VICE CHAIR MOSER. YES. BOARD MEMBER. JAMES. YES. BOARD MEMBER. DEBORAH. YES. BOARD MEMBER. WHALEN. YES. BOARD MEMBER. MUNRO. YES. BOARD MEMBER. LAUGHLIN. YES. AND CHAIRMAN. CRISTAL. NO. MOTION PASSES SIX ONE. ALRIGHT, EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. OUR MEETING IS
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.